Around The Center | Feb. 16, 2017

I know I say this frequently, but I LOVE this church! I love that we don’t see ourselves as an organization or some type of corporate structure, but as a family…God’s family… together. Last weekend was our “Beyond…Serve” and it was our chance to not just come to church, but to BE the church out in our community.

I have heard so many stories of grace, and hope, and care, and mercy. All of us together made an impact on real people in our community…all for the sake of Jesus. Thank you! Here is an email I got from a guy here at NLCC…

“So I’m in the checkout line at Foodmax and I’m getting a couple of things for my son’s school snack. The lady in front of me has two small children. One is happy as a lark and the other is screaming. He looked like he had a runny nose and maybe even a fever judging by the red face. The mom is trying to pay for her groceries, but her card won’t go through.

And then there’s this weekend. What are we supposed to do? Well… now I know, don’t I?

I stepped up and said maybe my card will work. As I slid my ATM card through the machine, she looked on in amazement. She asked if I felt sorry for her and I said, “No, but I’ve been in your shoes before and I was just helping out.” And I said, “Besides, we’re not having church this weekend and the long and the short of it is I’m supposed to help somebody special.” I said, “Right here, right now, and in this place…you are special.”

There was a long line behind me, and the man working the register in front of me were all frozen, they didn’t know what to do. They didn’t know what to say. As she collected her groceries she offered to pay me back or asked if she was supposed to do or say something. I told her there’s no strings attached. I swear she stood there in bewilderment with the rain coming down, and this guy who just helped her, and her kids being sick and upset, and the groceries and the whole thing. I don’t think there was a happier person in Turlock at the time. She was pretty happy too.”

I know that you probably have a story too, about how God did something good through you last weekend. You might even have pictures. I hope you’ll post something on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter… and make sure to tag New Life Christian Center (on Facebook type the “@“ and then New Life). You can also use #newlifeturlock and #beyondserve. We would love to see all the stories.